What is a famous quote about free speech?
Asked by: Jensen McKenzie | Last update: June 11, 2026Score: 4.3/5 (72 votes)
One of the most famous quotes, often misattributed to Voltaire but penned by S. G. Tallentyre, is: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it," while George Orwell famously stated, "If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear," highlighting the essence of free expression. Other key quotes emphasize free speech as crucial for liberty, like Benjamin Franklin's view that it's vital for wisdom, and Frederick Douglass's point that suppressing it leads to being led like sheep.
What is the best quote about freedom of speech?
"Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech." ―Silence Dogood, likely pseudonym of Benjamin Franklin.
What did Winston Churchill say about free speech?
some people's idea of it [debate] is that they are free to say what they like, but if anyone says anything back, that is an outrage. 1943, 13 OCTOBER. In conclusion, Winston Churchill may be credited with the words he spoke in Parliament in 1943.
What did Thomas Jefferson say about freedom of speech?
A year later, Jefferson suggested to Madison that the free speech-free press clause might read something like: The people shall not be deprived or abridged of their right to speak, to write or otherwise to publish anything but false facts affecting injuriously the life, liberty, property, or reputation of others or ...
What did Benjamin Franklin say about free speech?
Benjamin Franklin once said “Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom – and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech.” The United States provides protections for free speech.
10 Magnificent Freedom of Expression Quotes
What did Mark Twain say about free speech?
It is by the goodness of God that in our country we have those three unspeakably precious things: freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and the prudence never to practise either of them.
What did George Washington say about free speech?
“If freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led like sheep to the slaughter.” — George Washington Washington warns that without the right to speak freely, society becomes vulnerable to tyranny. Speech is not just liberty—it's protection.
What did John Locke say about freedom of speech?
As a result, Locke's emphasis on the limits of free speech advocated for a wide-ranging opportunity for everyone to declare their opinions freely and openly, necessitating vigorous debates between opinions without resulting in friction between differing groups, acting as a tool for progress instead of conflict.
What did John Adams say about freedom?
Our Consolation must be this, my dear, that Cities may be rebuilt, and a People reduced to Poverty, may acquire fresh Property: But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty once lost is lost forever.
What is the most famous quote about freedom?
There isn't one single "most famous" quote, but incredibly popular and impactful ones include Patrick Henry's "Give me liberty, or give me death!" for its revolutionary spirit, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed," highlighting struggle, and Ronald Reagan's "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction," stressing vigilance, with many variations emphasizing responsibility or choice.
What did George Orwell say about freedom of speech?
importance of being able to say what one thinks is true underlies the famous Orwellian aphorism from Nineteen Eighty-Four that 'Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.
What did Churchill say about Jews?
While Churchill clearly disapproved of the Jews' persecution, he also argued: "they have been partly responsible for the antagonism from which they suffer." Churchill argued that "the wickedness of the persecutors" was not the sole reason for the ill-treatment of Jews down the ages.
What is Churchill's most famous quote?
Winston Churchill's most famous quote is arguably from his "We Shall Fight on the Beaches" speech: "We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender!". Another hugely popular and defining quote is from his ""Never Give In!"" speech: "This is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense.".
What is Margaret Mead's most famous quote?
Margaret Mead's most famous quote is: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.". This inspiring quote emphasizes that significant societal change often begins with a dedicated few, highlighting individual action and commitment as catalysts for broader transformation.
What did Churchill say about free speech?
Winston Churchill – "Some people's idea of free speech is that they are free to say what they like, but if anyone says anything back, that is an outrage." 🗣️ Churchill highlights hypocrisy: many demand freedom to speak but resist accountability.
What did Lincoln say about freedom?
“I have always thought that all men should be free; but if any should be slaves it should be first those who desire it for themselves, and secondly, those who desire it for others.
What does Thomas Jefferson say about freedom?
"it is the great parent of science & of virtue: and that a nation will be great in both, always in proportion as it is free." "our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost."
What was Samuel Adams famous quote?
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.
Which president was the least religious?
While Abraham Lincoln never officially joined a church, there has been some research indicating that he may have had Quaker leanings. During his time in office, he had numerous meetings with Quakers and had investigated a supposed Quaker ancestry.
What did Benjamin Franklin say about freedom of speech?
“Without Freedom of Thought, there can be no such Thing as Wisdom; and no such Thing as publick Liberty, without Freedom of Speech; which is the Right of every Man, as far as by it, he does not hurt or controul the Right of another: And this is the only Check it ought to suffer, and the only Bounds it ought to know.
What did Thomas Hobbes say about freedom of speech?
To begin with his doctrine: Hobbes's commitment to some form of self-censorship arises from the apparent tension between his formal commitment to free thought, and his striking claim that individuals have no entitlement at all to freedom of speech or action; not only are subjects formally obliged to profess whatever is ...
What is John Locke's most famous quote?
Being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty, or possessions.
What did MLK say about free speech?
Somewhere I read of the freedom of speech. Somewhere I read of the freedom of press. Somewhere I read that the greatness of America is the right to protest for right. And so just as I say we aren't going to let any dogs or water hoses turn us around, we aren't going to let any injunction turn us around.
What did Frederick Douglass say about free speech?
It's no wonder that Frederick Douglass called free speech the “dread of tyrants.” He knew that, as he put it, “Thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers, founded in injustice and wrong, are sure to tremble, if men are allowed to reason of righteousness, temperance and of a judgment to come in their presence.” ...
What did James Madison say about free speech?
Madison proposed more descriptive First Amendment
“The people shall not be deprived or abridged of their right to speak, to write, or to publish their sentiments; and the freedom of the press, as one of the great bulwarks of liberty, shall be inviolable.